A Challenging Distraction
by spiffytgm
Summary: With a whisper of silk and a slide of stockings, it's off to the Hilton for a little distraction. Set to "If I Can't Have You" by Etta James & Harvey Fuqua. An answer to a challenge by MomofPhoenix. ;-) No bad language, no smut. Sort of unusual for me. Second chapter added for a challenge issued by Av981638...
1. Chapter 1

**This is a little one-shot answer to MomofPhoenix's challenge. Hope you like it! As always, all characters belong to Janet Evanovich, and all mistakes belong to me. I get nothing from this other than my own enjoyment. The song is 'If I Can't Have You' by Etta James and Harvey Fuqua.**

When I opened my door this morning, there was a box waiting outside. I looked around, but there was nobody nearby. I opened the card that was attached, and the note brought an instant smile. It simply said, "You're my favorite distraction." I would recognize that handwriting anywhere. When I opened the box, I was stunned by the shimmering black and teal silk Teri Jon dress. The dress was elegantly beautiful. It didn't stop at the dress, though. Underneath was a pair of Jimmy Choo Kallai Leaf bottle blue shoes and a matching Riane glitter clutch. I was touching the most perfect pair of shoes ever made. I think I may have blacked out for a moment.

I spent the entire day thinking about those shoes, as well as the job I had planned for this evening. It was a distraction, but it was not going to be my usual kind. For starters, it was going down at the Hilton hotel lounge. I would have to dig deep to pull off sophisticated, but the outfit would go a long way towards helping. Secondly, Steve Johnson is a violent criminal. He is currently FTA on sexual assault charges, and he has a long rap sheet. Normally, you wouldn't find a guy like this in a Hilton Hotel lounge, but stranger things have happened. Rangeman was acting on a tip that this guy would be in the area for one night only, and didn't want to pass up the opportunity.

I made it through the day in a blur of boston cream donuts and Cluck-in-a-bucket fried chicken. I got home early in order to give myself plenty of time to get dressed. I put on my favorite Etta James CD . I listened to her bluesy voice fill my apartment as I slid my stockings on.

**I don't want nobody  
****If I can't have you  
****Oh I can't love nobody  
****Unless I'm loving you**

I took my time doing my hair and putting my makeup on. I wanted to look perfect. Hopefully, my night won't end once the skip is in custody. I took one last look in the mirror to make sure I looked good, and headed for the living room.

**The way you hug me  
****The way you squeeze me  
****The way you kiss me  
****ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya  
****If I can't have you**

He was standing just inside my door as I walked out. Tall, dark, and handsome, I often dream about him and what we could have together. His gaze starts at my beautiful new shoes and travels up my body sending shivers through me. There is heat in his eyes as he holds out his hand for me. He doesn't say anything, but them again, he doesn't need to.

**I can't talk to nobody  
****Unless I'm talking to you  
****I don't wanna hold nobody  
****unless I'm holding you**

We arrive at the hotel, and he hands me a room key. "This is just so that he'll believe that you are staying here as a guest. Under no circumstances do I want you alone with this guy. Lester will be manning the bar. There will be men on every door, but we won't close in on the entrance until we are certain he's in the lounge. If it feels off for any reason, say the word and we'll call it off."

His hands slide across my body as he attached the wire. This will allow me to talk to the guys as well as hear everything that's going on. I feel comforted by the wire, even as I start to squirm under his attention. When he is done, I take a deep breath. I can do this.

**The way you hug me  
****The way you squeeze me  
****The way you kiss me  
****ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya  
****If I can't have you**

I saunter into the lobby and head toward the lounge. No one attempts to stop me, so I assume my outfit has passed muster. I walk into the lounge and look around. I don't see the target in here yet, so I head to the bar. As I perch on the stool, Lester walks up, looking like he has worked here forever. "Hello, Beautiful. Can I get you a drink?" I lay my purse on the bar and order a vodka &amp; tonic. I know there is no drinking on the job, but I also know that I have to keep up appearances. Lester wouldn't give me the vodka in any case.

I was on my second pretend drink when our skip walked in the door. I heard they guys over my earpiece as they checked in and made sure every one was in position. The skip walked up and sat on the stool next to mine. He ordered a Dirty Martini, and looked over at me. I smiled as if to encourage him, and he offered to buy me a drink.

I ordered another Vodka &amp; Tonic, and we sat and chatted over our drinks. I told him my name was Denise, and that I was in town attending a seminar. He told me his name was Robert, and he was here for a meeting, then he was continuing on to New York. After we finished our drinks, he invited me up to his room, and I agreed.

He led me towards the elevator with his hand at the small of my back. I guess I played my role perfectly, because he never noticed Hal come up behind him. Hal is a hard guy to miss. He is built like Steroidasaurus Hal. Nevertheless, when Hal tapped him on the shoulder, he was taken by surprise. It was a textbook takedown.

After our skip was escorted from the building, he walked back up to me. "You did that absolutely perfectly." He backed me out of view and gently removed the wire. "Hal and Bobby have Johnson and are taking him in. I can take you home, but that key will get you into room 1104, if you would like to go."

**I can't be kissing nobody  
****Unless I'm kissing you  
****I just don't, I just don't, I just don't want to be bothered with nobody  
****Unless I'm bothered with you**

We have a lot of issues between us. Do I want to take a chance that we can work our way through them? I look into his eyes. In that instant, I know that he is the one man that I will always want. I just have to take the chance. "Yes. I would like that."

We walk to the elevator together, and I can see him smiling in the reflection of the doors. I know that I have made the right choice. We are good together. We get in the elevator, and I turn to him as the doors close. As we are whisked up, I ask him, "Tank, when are Ranger and Stepanie getting back to town?"

He pulls me close and gives me a light kiss. "Lula, they won't be back until Monday. We've got all weekend."

**The way you hug me  
****The way you squeeze me  
****The way you kiss me  
****ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya ya  
****If I can't have you**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was poking around last night, and saw a challenge by av981638. I rewrote this about four times before I had something I liked. All the challenge prompts are in bold. Hope you like it.**

**As always, all the characters you know and love belong to Janet Evanovich. All Mistakes are mine.**

It's 1:00 am in **Point Pleasant** NJ, and I just slipped off the party bus that my friends rented for my Bachelorette party. My head is pounding and I'm not drunk enough to appreciate my grandma pole dancing any longer. The good thing is that I don't think anybody saw me sneak off the bus. That's also the bad thing. I suppose I should have thought the whole thing through, but I needed some air. Now I'm stranded. The bus driver dropped me off and kept going.

It had started off innocently enough. Mary Lou, my matron of honor, called me to see if I wanted to go to the beach to relax before the big day. How could I possibly say no to **a hot summer day** of **swimming** and tanning? I put on my bikini and we headed out. While we were relaxing, I got a call from Connie. She and Lula wanted to take me out for drinks before I became an old, married lady, so ML and I headed back to Trenton to shower and change. When Connie called me to come out, I was shocked to see the bus pulled up in front of ML's house. We hopped aboard and headed out.

That was five hours ago. Now, I'm tired and alone. There was only one person I could call.

"Yo." He has always been a man of few words.

"Yo, yourself."

"Aren't you supposed to be getting married in about 9 hours?"

"So?"

"Babe."

"Look, are you going to come rescue me or not, **Ranger**?"

There was silence on the line. Finally he sighed and said, "Be there in twenty" and hung up.

I sat on the curb and played video games on my cell phone until the sleek black Porsche pulled up. I got into the passenger seat and he drove off in silence. He glanced my way and said, "Running away?"

I just said, "Would you believe me if I told you that this wasn't my fault?"

He barked out a short laugh. "Only you, Babe." I was asleep within seconds. I awoke briefly when Ranger parked the car, but he picked me up and the scent of Bulgari and Ranger put me right back out.

I woke up when the bed dipped next to me. Ranger put a plate on the nightstand next to me. I looked over to see **strawberries and chocolate**. "What time is it?" I asked.

Ranger answered. "6:00. Anything you want to tell me?"

"6:00? Crap! I have to start getting ready." I ran to the bathroom. Once I finished, I ran back out to the bedroom and grabbed a strawberry. "Can you give me a ride to my apartment?"

Ranger just sat on the bed watching me. ""I thought your apartment was empty."

"It is. The only thing there is my dress, makeup, and the couch that I'm leaving."

Ranger looked at me. "So you're going through with this?"

I nodded. Ranger stood and walked from the room. I followed him downstairs and we left. When we got back to my apartment, Ranger tucked one of my curls behind my ear. "Love you, Babe."

I held his hand. "I love you, too." I got out of the car, and Ranger sped away.

I walked into my apartment, and Mary Lou jumped me. "I've been calling you all night. Nobody could find you when we got off the bus. We've been looking everywhere."

"Well, I'm here. Are you ready to get this done?"

Mary Lou looked at me. "Are you sure about this?"

I took a deep breath to clear my head. "Yes. This is what I want."

The next few hours were filled with hair, makeup, and dress. By the time we were finished, the Limo was waiting for us downstairs. We got to the church where Connie and Lula were waiting for us in a room off to the side. We didn't have long to wait before all the guests had arrived and everything was ready.

I started to cry as soon as I took my first step down the aisle. I always cry at weddings, and my own was no exception. Before I had any time to process, the priest was pronouncing us man and wife, and I kissed my husband for the first time. We headed back down the aisle and into the waiting limo.

Carlos turned to me and kissed me again. "You had me worried for a minute last night."

I smiled and kissed him again. "It really wasn't my fault. By the way, where did you bring me last night? That house was like a **sexy dream**."

He pressed his forehead against mine. "Babe, nothing ever goes according to plan with you. I was there last night to make sure that everything was ready for tonight. That was your wedding present."

I was speechless. "That was..."

He smiled and kissed me one more time. "That was the Batcave, Babe."


End file.
